Ashanti Baako (One)
The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston School of the Arts proudly presents the first solo museum exhibition of innovative artist Demond Melancon, As Any Means Are Necessary, to be displayed from August 23 to December 7.
New Orleans-based artist Demond Melancon, also known as Big Chief Demond Melancon of the Young Seminole Hunters, works solely with a needle and thread to sew glass beads onto canvas, beginning this practice in 1992 when he first became part of a more than 200-year-old culture known as the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans. He is well known for creating massive suits as a Black Masker, notably seen during Mardi Gras, which are sculptural forms based on the size of his body and are composed of intricate, hand-sewn beadwork revealing a collective visual narrative. In 2017, Melancon pioneered an emerging contemporary art practice using the same beading techniques he’s refined over the past 30 years in the Black Masking Culture. Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary will feature suit aprons, beaded portraits and other new works, including a new sculpture of an experimental “spirit suit” that is a smaller-scale companion to the suit that Melancon will mask in 2025.
Melancon is widely known for his appearance in All on a Mardi Gras Day: Big Chief Demond of the Young Seminole Hunters. This intimate documentary touches on the social and cultural significance of the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans and how the city is everchanging. It was accepted into over 40 film festivals in 12 countries and nominated for Best Short Film at the Berlinale and Best Documentary Short at the Tribeca Film Festival, two of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. With key grand prize wins at three Oscar-qualifying film festivals in Seattle, Rhode Island and Australia, the documentary short went on to be qualified for an Academy Award in 2020. A film screening will be held at the Halsey on Tuesday, November 19.
The Halsey Institute will host an opening reception for the new exhibition on Friday, August 23, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The event is open to the public and free to members; upon entry, a $5 donation is suggested for all not-yet members. For a more in-depth look into the work, the Halsey will host a free Artist Talk with Melancon on Saturday, August 24, at 2 p.m.
For more information on upcoming events, including tours and memberships, visit halsey.cofc.edu.
